BES12 Cloud Update: Part 2 – New Device, Self-Service Console, BlackBerry Connectivity Node, and Other Features

We’ve just released the latest update to BlackBerry Enterprise Service 12 Cloud. Because this update adds so many new features that improve your ability to manage mobile devices in the enterprise, we’ve broken this blog into two parts.

iOS

Specify per-app VPN for apps and app groups assigned to device groups: You can configure VPN profiles to force iOS devices to specify which apps on the device must use a VPN for their data in transit. You can specify which apps on iOS devices must use a VPN when the apps or app groups are assigned to device groups.

Manage Apple Activation Lock: The Activation Lock feature on iOS 7 and later devices allows users to protect their devices if they are lost or stolen. In BES12, you can now manage the Activation Lock feature on supervised iOS 7 and later devices.

Manage BlackBerry Secure Gateway Service: The BlackBerry Secure Gateway Service allows iOS devices with the MDM controls activation type to connect to your work email server through the BlackBerry Infrastructure and BES12. If you use the BlackBerry Secure Gateway Service, you don’t have to expose your mail server outside of the firewall to allow users with these devices to receive work email when they are not connected to your organization’s VPN or work Wi-Fi network.

Android

Display organization notices at new Android device activation: You can create a custom notice or user agreement that is displayed when users activate their devices. Users must acknowledge the notice to complete the activation.

Specify required security patches: You can specify which security patches Android devices must be running.

Control which workspace apps on Android for Work devices can use BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus: You can specify the workspace apps on Android for Work devices that you want to restrict from using BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus. By default, Google Play is restricted, as it does not support the proxy configuration used by BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus. Android for Work devices use a direct connection over the internet to Google Play.

Samsung KNOX

Bulk-enroll Samsung KNOX devices: You can use the bulk-enrollment feature of KNOX Mobile Enrollment to activate large numbers of corporate-owned devices in BES12.

Windows 10

Configure Enterprise Data Protection for Windows 10 devices: You can configure Enterprise Data Protection profiles to separate personal and work data on devices, prevent users from sharing work data outside of protected work apps or with people outside your organization, and audit inappropriate data-sharing practices. You can specify which apps are protected and trusted to create and access work files.

Pulse Secure

BES12 Self-Service Console

Customize the BES12 Self-Service console: You can change the color scheme of the BES12 Self-Service console. You can also add website bookmarks in the BES12 Self-Service console.

User roles: You can create and assign user roles that specify the capabilities that users have in BES12 Self-Service.

BlackBerry Connectivity Node

There’s a new name for the local BES12 Cloud components that you install on your local computer. They are now referred to collectively as the BlackBerry Connectivity Node. You can install up to two instances of the BlackBerry Connectivity Node. Each instance contains the following components:

BlackBerry Cloud Connector: Allows BES12 Cloud to access your organization’s company directory so that you can create directory user accounts.

Inside BlackBerry for Business

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